Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Polenta with Tomato Mushroom Sauce

I made a cheesey polenta topped with a tomato mushroom sauce for years, and it was very tasty. The amount of cheese, however, wouldn't allow me to include it as a healthy recipe. As a result, it wasn't served very often at our house. However, because it was one of the first vegetarian recipes that family members would actually request, I've been working on a healthy revision. Here's the new rendition. It was served last night ... and my squad of picky eaters wanted seconds! Surely, that's success!

Slice polenta roll into 1/2 inch slices, 3 slices per person. Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium high heat. Heat polenta slices until brown on each side, about 5 minutes per side. Meanwhile, place sliced mushrooms in a microwave safe container. Cook on high power for 1 minute, stir and cook for an additional minute. Continue cooking in 1 minute increments until the mushrooms are "sweated" and limp. Add tomato sauce to mushrooms and heat in microwave until hot. Serve by arranging 3 slices of polenta on each plate. Top with some of the tomato mushroom sauce, then sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon of the mozzarella cheese and 1 teaspoon of the parmesan.

Stealthy Cooking Tip: This is a time saving recipe, that combines prepared products with fresh. Store prepared polenta uses simpe cornmeal with minimal salt, making it a healthful product. To make this recipe even simpler, purchase prepared tomato sauce. If buying prepared sauce, check the contents ... some sauces taste so good because they're loaded with sugar!

Welcome to Stealth Cooking!

Stealth cooking started out 20 years ago. I was a vegetarian who married a meat and potatoes man. Over time, I've added small amounts of meat to my veggie diet, and lots of veggies to the meat-based diet. How? By stealthy cooking!

Using vegetables when unexpected, changing proportions on the plate, preparing foods in ways that are delicious enough for any palate! Plus, using small amounts of flavorful meats and spices so the taste for meat is fulfilled.

I was also concerned about my family's health. My husband had high cholesterol and high blood pressure. The kids were healthy, but I wanted them to stay that way! Initially, no one was excited about eating "healthy". They thought healthy food would taste bad.

So, I started out stealthy. I'd sneak healthy tidbits into meals. I'd replace small amounts of foods with healthier choices. Now, 20 years later, many meals are vegetable or grain based. We eat less fat, less salt, less sugar, no transfats, and still enjoy every meal. My husbands cholesterol and blood pressure are in the healthy range. The kids are still in a healthy weight range and live healthy life styles. Amazingly, everyone likes the food!

I've been encouraged to share my secrets, and my recipes ... so here they are! Look for stealthy cooking tips at the end of every recipe.

All text and images on Stealth Cooking are copyright M. Gilbert 2007-2017. All rights reserved.